Current guilty pleasure: Yep, you are reading this correctly, cookie chips! These are so ridiculously, insanely, eat-a-whole-bag-in-one-sitting good. I'm still fighting the little devil on my shoulder that is telling me to consider going to Safeway and buying carts full of these. I found them at Safeway but you can also find them HERE.

Current playlist: (I love this picture of Marvin Gaye) The Only Ones - Another Girl Another Planet / Marvin Gaye - Got to Give it Up / Khoma - the Guillotine / Metric - Black Sheep / Fiona Apple - Sally's Song / NIN - The Hand that Feeds / The Cars - Good Times Roll

Current drink:Simply Grapefruit Juice! Yums.

Current food:Turkey, swiss, and argula sandwich. Jumpin' Jack Doritos. Entenmann's Chocolate fudge cake. That was lunch, absolutely no clue what to make for dinner and I don't feel like cooking dammit - a running theme for this week, me no want to cook.

Current triumphs: um, I read two of my library books over two days? I'm a fast reader when I want to be. I've started trying to be more social again, it feels very strange, it's also a little odd to notice how little people change with time.

Current bane of my existence:I'm having dental issues and I can't afford to see a dentist :( It is always something isn't it? This is somewhat off topic but imagine Bane going to the dentist... Current celebrity crush: Jon Snow is pretty cute but gotta say, no one is striking my fancy right now. Robb Stark ain't half bad either.

Current indulgence: Chocolate, chocolate, more chocolate. I use to tell people I wasn't that into chocolate, not because I was purposely fibbing, I just didn't recognize how much I actually liked it.

Current blessing: Chocolate.Monkeys. Kitties. The usual.

Current outfit:destroyed denim jeans from Target, black lace tank top from Old Navy, black top with lace at the top, black cardigan, knot ring, diamond band from Zales, my favorite Target earrings, and a double chain necklace I picked up from Michael's.

Current excitement:Hopefully going dancing next weekend. I missed dancing, fuzzy sock sliding on the hardwoods in my living room is just not the same.

Since my fiance and I moved into our new place I've been in the kitchen a lot which is not a hard thing for me because I thoroughly enjoy cooking, it has also been really nice not only using gifted items but rediscovering items that had been stored away in boxes. Here are some of the things that I'm willing to share with you (every cook keeps secrets).

You may recognize 'The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack' and the reason I have it here is because it is my favorite CD to cook to. I hate cooking in silence and this for some reason is just my favorite album to cook to. I also recommend going to Last.Fm and listening to Danny Elfman/Hans Zimmer/Jon Brion/etc while you cook.

Another thing you might recognize is Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili sauce, which is basically the best thing ever and silly admission, but I love the packaging. I am a bit of a baby when it comes to spice but the flavor and versatility of this sauce is amazing, if you haven't tried it, try it! Start with a little and work yourself up the spice ladder. It pairs really well with seafood, chicken, rice, etc - trust me, it is good.

The next thing is this T-Fal nonstick frying pan I picked up from Target a few months ago, it has been my absolute favorite. My friend Summer recommended it to me and I have to say it is awesome. It has held up despite the fact that I accidentally flung it off the stove (cardigan incident) and is really non-stick which is such a relief when it comes to my cooking. I don't own this particular one, I own a smaller version but it is a good frying pan and a must have.

Next I have my sweetest recommendation, Sahale Snacks Crunchers with cranberries, sesame seeds, and honey (some of my favorite things ever). I found these at Walmart and had to get them because I am a sucker for anything almond. My only problem with these are that they come in small packages and are a bit pricey at something like $3.99 for a 4 oz pouch. I go through these reallly quickly but that is only because they taste so good.

Last, but not least, is the Garlic Wheel. I received this bad boy (The Martha Stewart version in blue is in the photo) for Christmas last year and spent a good two minutes staring at it wondering what the crap it was. Fast forward to a few months ago when I was unpacking my kitchen stuff and I come across this thing and let me tell you, I am a garlic zoom believer. I really love garlic but I really hate the way raw garlic makes my hands smell so this is the perfect item for me. It chops the garlic quickly and into the most perfect uniform size, whoever came up with this idea is a genius and I want to marry them.. for the money and garlic zoom fame.

I typically HATE New Year resolutions and all the crap associated with it, ESPECIALLY the influx of diet commercials for crap programs that only diminish one thing - your bank account! I swear if I get another piece of junk mail for gym memberships I'm going to throw a treadmill at someone - why can't people be encouraged to walk more often? Dance more often? Hike more often? Play sports (that aren't a bore) with friends more often? I LOATHE going to the gym - I hate the bad music, the bad attitudes, the crowds, the smell, and the cost and I hate staring at a wall while I walk on a piece of a machinery in a building. You can be active for free. I shouldn't have used the word typically, I still do hate all that shit but I do however have nothing against people trying to better themselves, I fully support that, better away. I tend to do things more when I write them down which is why if you look through any of my journals/day planners/any scrap of paper about you'll come across some sort of list whether it has "to do" on it or not. So with all that said I'm going to write a to-do list for 2013 and see how it goes, I fully encourage any of my readers (with kindness please, nobody responds positively to bullying) to hold me accountable to these things so here I go (I may regret this):

* Be less judgmental and closed minded. I actually consider myself a very open minded person who lives by the philosophy of "if you're nice to me I'll be nice to you" but I want to continue and expand it. I want to let go of my preconceived notions and accept people for who they are, on that note I also want to learn to accept people for who they aren't... if that makes sense. I also want to be more capable of accepting things I have a hard time understanding.* Be less judgmental, harsh, critical, and closed minded to the way I see myself and my abilities. In the words of an Adam Sandler movie I don't particularly care for "you can do it." I am sick of beating myself up and not taking chances because of my insecurities or fears. * Be more proactive in things I am passionate about. * Blog more often and more openly. I want to quit limiting myself on what I say: I am an atheist, I am plus sized, I am liberal, I curse a lot, I really love my cats, I have a really dirty mind, and I make a lot of sex jokes and I'm sick of filtering myself in the fear of alienating people. I don't care about being likeable, I just want to be myself and you cannot make everyone happy and I don't even care to try to. With that said I accept people for who they are and would sincerely hope for the same consideration (aka don't leave yet kittens).* Keep a regularly scheduled journal. For memory call backs since my memory is worse than an raging alcoholics, I seriously think I had an easier time recalling things when I use to drink more often.* Get off the computer and out of the house more often. I need to start taking more walks (because I love them), going to new places, visiting the library, going to shows, going dancing, seeing friends, going to parks, etc! I constantly have to remind myself that not everything takes heaps of money. * Be less afraid to go out alone. * Be more social! * Write. Create. Grow. * Not give a shit. About certain things like the size I'm wearing or whether someone is giving me the stink eye or if someone is going to comment on my flip flop wearing in Winter.

* Get medical insurance and have a steady income. * Stop giving into consumerism. Food, clothes, toys, music, etc. I mean I'm not going to give up completely but I have to stop when other things are more important and I have to learn to know when not to talk Jason into buying me things.* Read. Learn. * DRINK MORE WATER. This is really hard for me, I find water to be the most dull tasting substance known to man but I know I need it. I will probably end up adding to this at some point or another but for now this list will do.

Happy 2013! Yay and yay and... stuff! To think you thought this year would never happen, silly rabbits. I have to admit I will kinda sorta miss the excessive amount of Mayan 2012 doomy doom specials on TV, they were always a bit amusing. You know what always gets me about New Years is I always tend to think about the New Years Eve celebrations that have passed, not just ones I've partook in because I have a mixed bag of nutty and not so nutty NYE celebrations under my belt, but the ones I didn't partake in - the ones that were before my time. I wish I could hop in the delorean and participate in some rockin' 1957 NYE parties or ring in the New Year in 1932, but these times have passed and will never return, just like the experiences the people had and, in some cases, the people themselves. Needless to say, New Years Eve almost always makes me feel nostalgic and a bit sad (yep, I'm a bit of a downer). I remember New Years Eve 2007 - vaguely, mind you because I drank enough champagne to drown an alpaca - I was an emotional mess in those days. I had a huge infatuation with a friend I was in an odd situation with whom I was slowly coming to realize would never return my feelings and the other guy I had a crush on never showed up to the event I was attending. Come to find out the next morning I awoke, with my clothes on backwards (that champagne will get you), to many missed texts and a phone call from my crush who said he had come late and been looking for me everywhere so the night could have gone better if I hadn't drank a case of champagne on my own. By the way, that crush didn't lead anywhere beyond tons of flirtation and one incident under a DJ booth but it was fun nonetheless.

Back in those days the idea of a new year just spun the pants right around on me, I was afraid that the bad things would never end and the good things would disappear, now that is newly 2013 and my life is completely different then it was at the end of 2007, I still feel afraid for the good things to disappear and the bad things to continue but I know I have made so many huge improvements to my life and learned so many lessons along the way. I've lost some treasured things (including my kitty, Pepsi, who ran away in 2008) since then but I've also gained so many other treasured things as well and although I will never forget the good things I lost, I'm so happy for all the good things I have gained. I'm so grateful for my kitties, Halo and Hero, who always brighten my day with their fuzzy faces and who never fail to rub against my legs and feet while I blog. My family, who always help me when I need it. My little sisters, who aren't so little anymore - one is driving now and the other isn't in High School yet and is already taller than I am (did I mention that I'm 5'9"?!). My friends who are always there to laugh at my ridiculous jokes and share in cherished moments with. My new house that has its fair share of Christmas lights, endless heaps of comfort, and is everything I had wanted my house to be. My health, even if it is a bit rocky at times, and a fiance with gorgeous mermaid hair who goes for late walks with me and lets me gloat when I win at scrabble. I hope we all shed the bad and gain continued good within 2013 and I hope to see more of all of you in the upcoming year. Right now I have a black and white kitty who wants attention so I will catch you all later with belated Christmas posts and so forth.